[Downwindtracker2]

I'm looking for shopping list of what I need to get started welding. I have the welder, blue painted ESAB 186i AC DC TIG. I know nothing really about TIG. Nor, do I consider myself I much of a welder. And here's a laugh, it's been 40 years since I gas welded, so I can't even claim that experience.


When I bought it,I caught heck from the chief financial officer .I had been looking at used stick welders. I thought it would be nice to be able to weld stainless and use 7018. Big old transformers would sometime show up on CL. But they were big and take up nonexistent room in the garage.. Though I have never used a suitcase welder, I was amazed by them when the contactors showed up in the mill with them, and now they come with TIG as well. Sweet. So this what I bought https://www.kmstools.com/magnum-200a-ac ... der-137216 I didn't pay that for it, I got a pre-order price. I know it's Chinese, but it's not $4600 either, the local list on the Miller . By looking at various little welders on the net, that control panel is pretty distinctive, I think I found which Chinese factory that made it. It's the same control panel and specs as the http://www.esab.ca/ca/en/products/index ... de=V430014 Cyberweld has them on for $ 1693 USD .I think I did OK, mine just won't be the eye popping yellow, though. The Miller blue will match my 250x. I won't be the first guy that colour coordinates welders,

I have an Argon tank from when I tried aluminum with a spoolgun on the MIG and a 50amp plug that the MIG uses. It's a bare machine, needing stringer, regulator, and foot pedal .When I ordered the machine, I bought the foot pedal as well. I'll pick up a flow meter this week.

I'm just a retired millwright . But I have that millwright curse, "Oh, I can make that."

[cj737]

Cool, any welding machine can weld. The real difference in what you bought versus the Blue and Reds, is duty cycle and support. Perhaps resale value too, but at a bargain price, your exposure financially is not so terrible anyway...

Fill your tank with fresh argon.
Get a quality auto darkening hood. Some gloves. A 4.5" grinder, flap disks, cut-off wheels, and plenty of 1/4"-> scrap steel. Some 3/32" ER70S2 filler rod, and order https://weldmongerstore.com/collections ... are-bundle

Clean the metal until it shines. Then, set your DC amps up to 125-130, and slowly slide along making molten steel without filler to become accustomed to using the torch. When you get that down, slowly intro filler. Pad beads. Watch plenty of the videos on WTT YouTube channel. You'll see proper techniques and pitfalls documented to help you learn properly.

If your eyes are anything like mine, a cheater lens inside your helmet is a very good idea. You can get them in .25 increments and these really help provide magnification and focus of the puddle/arc. If you can't see that aspect super clearly, you will never weld well.

[Downwindtracker2]

Thanks, You're certainly right about seeing the puddle. How'bout Welding by the Braille Method , by Ol'Shakey.

I'm lucky with the helmet, the company gave out new helmets before they closed so I have a Sperian. It says Linde on the outside lens area and on the inside Made In Switzerland. I wear my prescription safety glasses in the shop and for welding.I have Millermatic 250x MIG. And I've stick weldered at work, I was a millwright. I'm retired now and it's pain having to buy steel.

For aluminum what would I need?

[Poland308]

I have the ThermalArc 186, been using it for about 3years with no issues. I use thumb controls not the pedal. We use Miller stuff at work but I haven’t noticed any difference in arc quality or controls.

[cj737]

For aluminum what would I need?

Basically the same stuff as listed above. Add a couple of good stainless steel brushes dedicated for cleaning the ally. Only difference might be tungsten choice. These days, inverter-based boxes are frequently TIG welded using 2% Lanthanated (blue band), or some use Purple, some still use 100% (Green). Don't use Red.

3/32 or 1/8 tungstens, associated gas lenses and #5-#8 cups and you should be set for a long while. 4943 filler rod has become very popular, though sometimes harder to lay your hands on at the Local store. 5356 is another great option, usually widely available.

[Bill Beauregard]

For aluminum what would I need?

Basically the same stuff as listed above. Add a couple of good stainless steel brushes dedicated for cleaning the ally. Only difference might be tungsten choice. These days, inverter-based boxes are frequently TIG welded using 2% Lanthanated (blue band), or some use Purple, some still use 100% (Green). Don't use Red.

3/32 or 1/8 tungstens, associated gas lenses and #5-#8 cups and you should be set for a long while. 4943 filler rod has become very popular, though sometimes harder to lay your hands on at the Local store. 5356 is another great option, usually widely available.

I must enthusiastically disagree about tungsten alloys. Pure tungsten is limited to aluminum with sine wave welders. I find that aside from pure, any alloy works well. There may be minor differences in time an alloy holds shape before needing to be reground. I have a lot of thoriated 2% (red)'cause it's all over the internet NOS cheap. Retail, I'd choose 2% lanthanated.

Thoriated (red) has a minute level of radioactivity. Some avoid it for that reason, others scoff. Fact is I've never met a 100 year old Thoriated welder.

[Downwindtracker2]

My last job, I hope ever,was a shutdown at the big lead-zinc smelter at Trail. The old Kimberly mine was deep and it had thorin.(sp). While they don't use ore from there any more, we still had to give a urine sample once a week . They use ore from Red Dog in Alaska. For the lead it was just blood . We were in full hazmat suits with helmets with fanny pack respirators. They took it pretty seriously.

[cj737]

For aluminum what would I need?

... some still use 100% (Green). Don't use Red.

I must enthusiastically disagree about tungsten alloys. Pure tungsten is limited to aluminum with sine wave welders. I find that aside from pure, any alloy works well.

I think you are disagreeing with my statement that he should use 2% for ally, which is also my recommendation. I said, "some still use 100% pure" even on inverters, which they do. Lots of inverters still use sine wave and welding ally on sine, 100% pure still works. Or am I missing something?

[Bill Beauregard]

I don't believe he needs to limit himself to one variety, or avoid thoriated, unless he is concerned about radioactivity. Head moderator over on another network welds all day for 40 years, uses nothing but red tungsten, no ill effects. I find in both the sine wave Dialarc, and the square wave Dynasty, everything works well except pure.

All else being equal, I'd buy new lanthanated. I can find thoriated very cheap as new old stock, and it works well. Tri mix is nice, but several others are too.

Even when I don't dip the tungsten, I find it gets contaminated from proximity, so I grind pretty often anyway. Deformation of the tip is not a big factor for me, or most beginners.

[cj737]

I find in both the sine wave Dialarc, and the square wave Dynasty, everything works well except pure.

Well you can use sine on a Dynasty too, as well as some other newer inverters. The Lincoln SW (which he did not buy) would not be advisable to use 100%, but I suspect his box (I think its a lift arc only TIG) would likely only have sine for AC. Regardless, I don't think we "disagree" about whats likely better.

[Bill Beauregard]

We do not.

[Downwindtracker2]

I'll pass on thorinated ones. If you've seen news about the Russian attack on a ex-spy in Britain , those hazmat suits they are wearing are a lot looser, as in leakier, than precautions we wore, seriously. The boilermaker welders were in those suits as well. In one of those suits you couldn't even tell she was a pretty little girl. We were redoing the drag conveyor under one the boilers. Six weeks of long hours with only a couple of days off.

After more search, I've found my little welder is a Hugong Wave200, it's made in the same factory as the ESAB 186i, their control panels are the same as are their features. As far as quality, who knows. I can't even pronounce that name. You guys will have more understanding about the features than me. But as read the replies, I'm learning, both the value, uses, and setting.

BTW, thanks for the advice.

Ray

[Downwindtracker2]

Well, this Friday morning I picked up my little TIG/Stick welder I ordered. Nothing looks cheesy, not even the gas hose. But even if I had struck an arc, how could I , a complete novice to TIG,tell if it's any good ?

As usual I'm not ready, the welding cart is still just pieces. At least the welder's dark blue is close to Tremclad's dark blue, so I'll get a close colour match. That's important you know. chuckle.

I'm itching to try to run some beads . I did pick up a extra ground clamp and 25' of #2 for stick welding . I had earlier picked up a 25' stinger.

[Bill Beauregard]

Go for it! Start with a good helmet, gloves, and 1/16, or thicker cleaned steel. With no filler, but 15 CFH argon, make horizontal rivers of liquid steel. Tomorrow, you will add basic filler. I buy steel filler so seldom I have to check the designation each time 70S...... I used RG45 for many years with acetylene torch, it works well too. 1/16 is the biggest you will need.

Hold filler between the "bird" (longest) finger of your spare hand, and ring finger, apply thumb. You will soon learn to feed. Your lead hand is all about how close you can get without touching. I prop. I arrange whatever to run parallel to my weld. I steady on that to avoid shaking. Nobody ever criticized "your arc is too short"

To compensate for being old, I buy LOTS of tungsten all over the internet. Grinding one tungsten wastes time.

Practice. Pad beads.

If aluminum is your bucket list item, resist as long as you can. If like me, first day. Aluminum requires skill first day weldors don't have, and cheap welders don't have either. Aluminum is an extra challenge, I love it!

Willie

[ljdm1956]

Go for it! Start with a good helmet, gloves, and 1/16, or thicker cleaned steel. With no filler, but 15 CFH argon, make horizontal rivers of liquid steel. Tomorrow, you will add basic filler. I buy steel filler so seldom I have to check the designation each time 70S...... I used RG45 for many years with acetylene torch, it works well too. 1/16 is the biggest you will need.

Hold filler between the "bird" (longest) finger of your spare hand, and ring finger, apply thumb. You will soon learn to feed. Your lead hand is all about how close you can get without touching. I prop. I arrange whatever to run parallel to my weld. I steady on that to avoid shaking. Nobody ever criticized "your arc is too short"

To compensate for being old, I buy LOTS of tungsten all over the internet. Grinding one tungsten wastes time.

Practice. Pad beads.

If aluminum is your bucket list item, resist as long as you can. If like me, first day. Aluminum requires skill first day weldors don't have, and cheap welders don't have either. Aluminum is an extra challenge, I love it!

Even though "They" say learn steel first, if you have the scrap material, argon, tungsten, time, and patience to spare, go for it, try aluminum. If you can master aluminum, steel will be a breeze. If budget says different, learn on steel first.

Willie

[Downwindtracker2]

Yes ,every time I walk by the Rubbermaid bin with the aluminum scraps, I think those will make some excellent (challenging) practice pieces. .095 checkerplate . corroded, too. I have a SS wheel for the mini-grinder. I have some 14 guage steel as well.